1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a process for preparing polymers. The present invention particularly relates to a process for preparing polymers employing loop reactors.
2. Background of the Art
Chemicals in general and polymers in particular may be prepared in a reactor consisting of a pipe containing a flowing stream of reactants. One such pipe reactor is known as the slurry loop reactor. In a slurry loop reactor, reactants are feed into a pipe containing a solvent and a catalyst. The admixture of solvent, reactants, and catalyst are continuously recycled through the pipe, hence the term “loop,” with the reaction product being continuously removed.
Despite loop reactors having been used for a long time, the process of starting and running a loop reactor is not without problems. For example, it has been taught in the art to use a microprocessor to automate starting up and running a loop reactor. One advantage of using a microprocessor may be that it may facilitate quickly achieving a steady state in the reactor, steady state being the condition under which the least amount of product variability occurs. Product variability may be generally considered a problem in the production of polymers.